I have
known Almanack-Writers so curious and exact in this particular, that
they have been at the Expence and Charge of a Wooden Cut in the
Frontispiece, with their Arms emblazon'd, and surrounded with a
Label, expressing the Name of the Family. This, Sir, made a great
Impression, I confess, upon myself and others, and made those Works
to go off well.
If the Author who was _born to be an Almanack-maker_, has the
Misfortune to be meanly descended, but yet, has a true Genius; if he
has by him, or can borrow a Book, entitul'd the Peerage of _England_,
he may safely borrow a Coat, (if there happens to be a Peer of his
own Name) by reason, we are so great a Way distant from the Earl
Marshal of that Part of _Great-Britain_ call'd _England_.
The next Talent requisite in the forming of _a compleat
Almanack-Writer_, is a Sort of Gravity, which keeps a due medium
between Dulness and Nonsence, and yet has a Mixture of both. Now you
know, Sir, that grave Men are taken by the common People always for
wise Men. Gravity is just as good a Picture of Wisdom, as Pertness
is of Wit, and therefore very taking. And to compleat an
Almanack-maker, in this particular, he shou'd write Sentences, and
throw out Hints, that neither himself, nor any Body else can
understand or know the Meaning of. And this is also a necessary
Talent. I will give you some Instances of this Way of Writing, which
are almost inimitable, such as these, _Leeds, Jan_.
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